Full screen on second monitor

[Hansje]

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.0.0
Windows Version: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2
CPU Type: Mobile Intel Pentium M 1733MHz
HDD: Seagate 80 GB
Memory: 512 MB
Motherboard: RIM2000 (Notebook)
Motherboard Chipset: Intel Alviso i915PM
Motherboard Bios: Phoenix
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce Go 6600
Video Card Driver: NVIDIA GeForce Go 6600 8.4.2.2
Sound Card: Intel 82801FBM ICH6-M
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver: Realtek High Definition Audio 5.10.0.5038
1. TV Card: Philips SAA7135HL Multimedia Capture Device
1. TV Card Type: DVB/analog
1. TV Card Driver: FlyDVB-T Duo mini 2.11.2.1
MPEG2 Video Codec: NVIDIA Video Decoder
MPEG2 Audio Codec: NVIDIA Audio Decoder
Satelite/CableTV Provider: /
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote: X10
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection:

Hi,
I have a laptop with built-in TV-Card. To use this card Cyberlink's Powercinema was installed, but if i use the program the picture is shocking and if i use the program on my main screen (1440pxx900px widesreen), the picture is transformed. So i decided to search a better program. First i came by LifeView, good program, but i can't use my remote control.
I found Showshifter: i can use my remote control but it will only play on my Main screen, if i drag and drop it on my second monitor the picture turns black.
Now there is MediaPortal: it beats all the other programs (i love open source), but there are still two problems: 1: If i toggled to Full screen, how can i get back to 'not full screen'? 2: If i drag and drop the program to my second monitor and choose full screen the program jumps back to my main screen. Is there a possibility to toggle full screen on my second monitor? Most of the time i watch TV on my second screen, so i hope this is possible with Mediaportal.

Greetz
Hansje

[risu]

MediaPortal doesn't support second monitor. I haven't heard any good reasons why. They tell there are incompatibly issues and that directx doesn't allow writing on second screen.

Yet microsoft MCE and other directx softwares allow using second monitor. You can use MediaPortal by first putting your second screen to primary, starting MediaPortal and after that you can put screens as they were. I haven't had any issues because of that, it's just little annoying.

-K-

[Zeljko]

You can try to use Dualview on your GF, it works for me just fine but with driver version 8x.xx. With 9x.xx doesn’t work anymore

[Hansje]

@risu: I have a laptop, and my grapics card don't let me choose another primary display than my laptop screen... It is true that the cpu has to render the picture on the second monitor. But i don't think that have to be a problem, the other programs i tried did it, my cpu works a little harder, but the result is fine.

@Zeljko: Wich driver do you mean? The driver of my Graphics Card is an old one, 8.4.2.2

Greetz
Hansje

[FlipGer]

Hi,

@risu: MP works on the secondary screen! BUT it is not HW accelerated on that screen. Every DirectX task is done through software on the secondary screen (MS issue). Which slows down every DirectX app (like MP or 3D games) which are run there.

@Hansje: To your first question, you can toggle with ALT+Enter between fullscreen an windowed mode. And you should update your GraKa driver first, to get all multi screen settings.

Flip.

[NLS]

Flip I don't disagree with you, heart this explanation before. Can someone explain how some games (let say Flight Simulator) work in fine directx mode with two (or even more) monitors?

[wishywashy]

Are you talking about a different monitor for different views of the cockpit? They are useing multiple video cards.

http://www.smartcomputing.com/editor...5l02/15l02.asp

[NLS]

not only the cockpit, the exterior too

and yes they use multiple video cards, who said the opposite?
so can I use MP fully on two DVI outputs from two cards?

[Marcusb]

Each card should be able to handle one output with hardware acceleration on the primary display.
I guess if there are games that can use two outputs on the one card then they would make sure the primary display is handling all the tough stuff on screen while the second display may just be showing instrument displays or something like that. The Nintendo DS works this way too. One screen is the Action screen, while the other screen is the static screen.

Thanks for the tip about the drivers too, Zelijko, I rebuilt my PC this weekend and was going crazy trying to get the setup to work the way it used to. I guess updating the drivers was my error.

For the hundredth time, here are the instructions for MP on the second screen (with nVidia cards).

Use the Detonator drivers of the 8.xxxx series.
Set the screens to clone.
Set full screen overlay to second monitor.
Set MP to minimse to tray and then minimise it.

This should let you use your PC as usual with MP running in the task bar. If you use some types of remotes (MCE with replacement driver/plugin), HID types then you will be able to control MP even when it's minimised.

I'm not sure how this will work on your notebook, but it works well for me.

[Hansje]

Ok Thanks, Alt-Enter works. But if i switch between full screen and windowed mode while my tv is playing the picture won't redraw... it seems to be a crash but the sound is still going fine.
If i watch TV on my secondary screen my CPU needs 95%, so it is possible with my configuration to do so. I'll try the workarround from Marcusb. Thanks in advance.

Greetz
Hansje